Summary Box: Fifth Third swings to 3Q profit

STILL PROFITABLE: Regional bank Fifth Third said it turned a profit for the second quarter in a row, helped by the settlement of litigation related to a bank-owned life insurance policy.

STILL DEFENSIVE: The Cincinnati-based company said its third-quarter results were weighed down as it took further steps to reduce risk. Those included the sale of about half its nonperforming residential mortgage loans and the transfer to held-for-sale status of about a third of its nonperforming commercial loans, also largely tied to real estate. The company expects a slow recovery in the real estate market.